Guns and Horses
by koobahcoon
Summary: It was just a simple game of cat and mouse between the two for weeks now-and the blond cowboy wondered how they ended up here. His friends, and worse, his mother questioned the attraction he had for a certain trenchcoat-wearing albino. It wasn't going to be easy getting out of this one. [Clay x Jack]
1. Chapter 1: Looking Back

"Clay, care to explain to this little lady why that friend o'yours is in _your_ bed?" Mrs. Bailey's painted nails almost digging into her apron sent a nervous chill up Clay's spine and his neck stiffened. ' _Well, shit_.' The cowboy cleared his throat roughly, keeping his eyes glued onto his mother instead of straying to the side-where it was clearly obvious that Raimundo and Kimiko shared awkward grins in trying to confirm old suspicions.

"Y'see, mama...poor Jack was just cold. I figured he could-"

"Ya could've come to me for help, baby! I had extra bed sheets. Hell, we have plenty to spare!" It was a good thing his mother wasn't as close-minded and old-fashioned like his father. Obviously, she knew her son was lying to cover something else-something she also suspected as soon as she laid eyes on Jack. But that didn't worry her, unlike the worry of how her husband would react upon finding out about her son's preferences.

Clay shot a slight glare his Brazilian friend, signaling with a quick crack of knuckles that he was going to get him once they were out of his mother's sight. Raimundo just chuckled nervously to which Omi asked several questions.

"Why must they argue over who is in Clay's bed? If I was cold, I would also-" Kimiko's hand was quick to cover his mouth.

"Yeeeaaaah-um so hey, Clay? How is your dad?" The dragon of fire didn't want things to get any more tense with Clay's mom and Raimundo finding Jack Spicer in Clay's bed, bundled up and comfortable as if he spent a wonderful night sleeping there. All this tension had Clay thinking and wondering just how things got this far.

* * *

"Reversing mirror!" Omi was sent crashing back by the sudden backlash in an attempt to knock Jack away with the Fist of Tebigong. Jack's infamous evil laugh echoed in the below-zero temperatures of Gaurishankar as gloved hands reached for the newly-revealed Shen Gong Wu. "The Polar Paws are mine, cheesehead!" He laughed again, shoving the wu into a pocket of his winter coat and pressing a button on his watch while sending some insults to a snow-covered Omi. Several Jackbots quickly swept him away towards his bystanding jet, dropping him into the flight deck to make a quick getaway.

"Oh no y'don't!" The redhead didn't turn quickly enough and was knocked back with incredible force.

"Hey! Watch it! I paid good money for these leather seats!"

"You'll be paying for _much_ more when I kick your sorry behind. Hand over the Wu, Spicer." Jack snorted, not feeling the slightest bit threatened by the bigger Xiaolin dragon. He stepped back quickly when he noticed Clay pull out the Tangle Web Comb from his vest. The albino's quick reflexes handled the situation swiftly as he called out the Reversing Mirror once more. Clay found himself unable to move his upper half-or talk-struggling to free himself and stumbling over, his ten gallon hat landing several feet away.

"That's one for Jack and none for the thick-headed cowboy." He placed a boot on Clay's right side as if he were big game shot down in a hunting trip. The crooked smirk pasted on Jack's pale face irritated the blond cowboy. "Man, I am really _killing_ it today!" To add onto Clay's anger, Jack got a hold of his hat and wore it, laughing in hopes of getting something out of Clay for his own amusement.

In all of his larking, Jack had forgotten about the other three Xiaolin Dragons-until a bolt of lightning shot through the deck past his shoulder. "Agh! That'll take days to fix!" He kicked Clay away to make room to pilot away from the monks, with hands fastened onto the steering levers as he managed to turn the jet around. His plans were to drop the cowboy off with the others (he wasn't _that_ evil to let the Texan freeze all alone) and make a quick landing to fix some of the damage that Kimiko had made with the Eye of Dashi. "Ready for your delivery-hey! Where'd he go?"

"Tnngld web cmmb!" A muffled shout was the last Jack heard before he lost control of his jet. Adrenaline pumped through his body as he watched the snowy earth spiraling and his Jackbots attempting to help soften what would be a crash landing. A _fatal_ crash landing.

* * *

"Are you frickin' _kidding_ me? Do you have a death wish, or are you just _that_ soft in the head?!" Clay's winter coat was white from the snow clinging onto the fabric, his face not showing the slightest of emotion as he patted down his body. "All my bots, my jet, my GPS-gone. So _tell me_ , 'Texas'. You got some sort of navigational system in that big head of yours? How about your hat? Does it have a compass? This is just great-" A large gloved finger silenced him and Jack tensed up when he noticed just how close the other was. The cowboy hat was removed from red hair and placed back on its original owner's head.

It was unsettling how calm the Texan was, even after what Jack was sure would have been certain death for the two had his Jackbots not gotten in the way of the impact. Now that he thought about it, he noticed his Jackbots had wrapped themselves around both passengers to ensure their safe landing. He was glad he had installed those safety chips the week prior.

"I ain't got a clue 'bout where we are, but we gotta find the others."

"Woah, woah! _We_? You go find _your_ squad of losers 'cuz I sure am not giving up the Wu." He placed a hand over the pocket where the Polar Paws were safely stored. Clay looked in confusion, shoving his hands into the pockets of his coat.

"I never said anything about Shen Gong Wu. You're gonna freeze to death out here, and that's all y'have to worry about?" ' _Odd fellow,_ ' thought Clay, watching Jack wrap his arms around himself to try and warm up.

"Yeah, well _still_. I'd rather not gang up with you lot. This evil genius _always_ has a plan."

"You're more stubborn than the bulls back home." There was no way they could tell which direction to start walking-not even a smoke trail from the jet's damages. Heavy gusts and slight snowfall prevented Jack from using his Hellipack to save his own skin and he knew it well.

"Fine. Where to, Mr. 'I'll-use-the-tangled-web-comb-at-the- _wrong_ -time'?" The blond ignored Jack's remarks, looking up to see nothing but peaks and white. Calling out for the others could result in an avalanche-and that was the last thing they needed. The sounds of metal on metal resonated with Jack looking through the scraps of what was once his jet and several Jackbots. Hopes of finding at least one working piece of technology faded quickly and Jack kicked the snow in frustration. "This is your fault, y'know."

"I'm well aware o'that." Not the response Jack was hoping for as it only added onto his frustration. "If we can't find them, I guess they'll hav'ta find us." Jack growled a curse under his breath in disbelief of what he just heard.

" _Riiiiight_..so we just sit and wait? _Wow_ , I'd have never thought of _that,_ " Jack replied sarcastically while he rolled his eyes. "Our butts will freeze if we sit out here, numbskull. We need shelter." No reply was heard from the cowboy who started walking towards a steep section of the area. Jack had no other choice but to follow, even if he didn't like the idea of clinging onto a Xiaolin monk for safety.

* * *

This is my first story up, so please enjoy! I hope you Clack lovers do, at least! Feedback appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2: Cold Together

Several minutes into walking shin-deep in the snow, with white flakes piling slowly on his red cheeks, Jack could barely see Clay enter a cave of some sort. It would have to do-anything but being out in what was turning into a blizzard.

Inside, it was dim and quiet, yet Jack could make out Clay leaning against one of the cave walls, his hat making it difficult to see his eyes but his breath was very visible from the cold. The albino's legs were shaky and Jack plopped onto the ground with hands rubbing up and down on his arms to produce a bit of warmth. From behind blond bangs, Clay could see Jack's small body shivering as if it were caught in an earthquake.

"I would offer to make some fire, but we ain't got any wood."

"Gee, _thanks_ -I guess.." Red eyes were glued to the ground as teeth chattered, releasing foggy, visible breath every time. The bigger Xiaolin monk knew such a small body wouldn't last very long in this cold weather. It brought pity upon him seeing a usually rambunctious person being brought down to a shivering heap within an hour. He was thankful that his friends would be more than definitely searching non stop for them-and his spirit lifted slightly while he closed his eyes thinking about Omi, Raimundo, Kimiko, and Dojo.

Jack, on the other hand, was too cold to think straight. He cursed himself for not wearing extra gloves and warmer boots the way he had planned. If only he hadn't rushed to get the Shen Gong Wu...And that's when it hit him. The Polar Paws! Trembling hands quickly dug them up from his pockets, and he examined them before slipping them on. Not thinking twice about it, he raised the paws into the air.

"Polar Paws!" Clay's eyes shot open only to find a Polar bear with the remains of Jack's coat almost strangling it around the neck.

"What in tarnation!?" Clay could have sworn he would have hear Jack scream at the very least, but he was nowhere to be found. The cowboy was quick on his feet, gathering up what was left of Jack's belongings from behind the massive beast.

"Jack! Where'd you go?!" Only a mixture of his calls and the bear's heavy breathing echoed back in reply. The polar bear growled and called out to the uneasy Clay-with Jack attempting to communicate. This only led to Clay getting nervous and keeping his distance. It wasn't until the bear had gotten on its hind legs and raised its paws almost threateningly that Clay decided he needed to fight it in defense. "I don't know where y'came from or what y'did to Jack, but I ain't gonna die like this!" Gloved hands placed the missing goth's belongings gently aside, clenching and cracking knuckles as the cowboy took a stand.

Jack studied Clay's movements, unsure of what to do to save his behind from being kicked. White fur shook back and forth as a mouth full of sharp canines opened and released a cry. By his guess, Jack wasn't going to save himself this time. "Seismic kick, earth!" With a kick to the side, Bear Jack went flying towards the entrance of the cave, pitifully crying as he landed on the cold floor. Clay hated hurting animals, but there was no better way to deal with a bear in a situation like this. ' _Maybe that'll scare him off_.'

"That _HURT_ , you jackass!" The albino teen was too hurt to realize he'd been near stripped naked from the transformation, with his coat, the Polar Paws, and bits of cloth being the only things covering his almost bare body.

"Spicer?" Blue eyes darted away from the pale skin revealed under the shredded cloth and the Texan was quick to remove his own coat. He didn't mind the cold as much as he thought he would-being so big and all. He looked away just enough to see where he was stepping, his cheeks hot and probably red, and threw his coat onto Jack, covering him like a blanket.

"Oh th-thank _god_ , I'm f-freezing my ass off." He bundled himself up as best as he could, shivering uncontrollably trying to remain warm. "I was f-fine as a bear y'know. But _n-noo_ you just _had_ to assault m-me as usual."

"Is that was the Polar Paws do?" Clay didn't pay much attention to this one when Dojo explained how it worked. He had been caught up on news from his home at the time-specifically news about his father. Boy did he feel awful for kicking Jack like that, but he thought about it again and realized that Jack should have given him a heads up before transforming into a bear. "Yer' gon'get frostbite if we don't cover you up soon."

" _OR_ -or-I could use the Wu without you k-kicking my ass. How about it?" The tone in his voice didn't bother Clay as it usually did, with slight worry picking up in the cowboy's heart upon seeing Jack's bare feet struggling to stay inside the coat.

"Ya' better get moving on that or you'll be trading your guitar for a harp, Spicer." Even in this extreme cold, Jack managed to roll his eyes at Clay's sayings. Once more, he called out on the Polar Paws and shifted into the massive, white bear he'd been not too long ago. If it hadn't been for Jack's tricky ways, Clay would have no problem loosening up-but Jack had the strength of ten men on his shoulders and could easily injure him with one swipe.

* * *

There was no given clue as to how many minutes, or hours, had passed since they were first stranded. Bear Jack had returned the lended coat to the now-shivering Clay who, without trust, kept his blue eyes pasted on the lying bear. Jack was toying around with his goggles that were much too small in his massive bear paws. Thanks to the Polar Paws, he felt right at home in these temperatures and had no trouble wandering around the snow.

"I sure hope they find us soon 'cause it's colder than hell with the furnace out." A deep yawn was all he got in return from Jack. The clearly comfortable bear was stretching with his back turned to the Texan, claws digging into the hard ground. By now, without the Shen Gong Wu, Jack would have probably been halfway frozen. In a way, Clay was thankful that Jack got a hold of the Wu first-his lips forming a smile as he watched the bear roll around like a dog in the mud. At least one of them was having a good time.

* * *

"Maybe we should give'em a sign." Clay's low voice broke the silence again for the hundredth time. Jack tilted his head, ears perked up to listen before he got on all fours to pace his way to a shivering blond. It seemed like every time he spoke, his voice got lower and lower. The Texan might be big, but even the strongest of men have fallen to frostbite and snow.

Seeing Clay sitting without movement triggered worry within Bear Jack's stomach. This same Clay had lended his coat without thinking twice when he'd been cold, so why not return the favor? His heavy weight landed painfully on Clay's right side as big, furry arms wrapped around the startled cowboy.

"Just what do you think you're doin', Spicer?" But he didn't bother struggling out of the warmth radiating from the beast's grips. For the first time in the hours spent with Jack, Clay relaxed his body and slowly drifted into a deep sleep. Much to Jack's surprise, he felt the need to stay still and let the bigger monk rest.

* * *

I swear I'm not the best at writing in-character but I tried. Feedback appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3: Surprise, surprise

Half an hour into Clay's sleep, the familiar sound of Dojo's voice filled the cave, transitioning into a shaky scream as soon as the dragon spotted Clay.

"CLAY! I-oh Master Fung is gonna kill me-CLAY!" The dragon didn't gather the courage to get closer to the sleeping monk and the pale-furred animal. "I found Clay!" He darted back to the cave entrance, his arms flailing to get the others' attention. Omi, Raimundo, and Kimiko gasped in unison once they received the news from Dojo, then jumped into the cave, ready to fight for their fourth member's safety. Bear Jack's ears shot back in fear as he recognized their battle positions, tearing off the gloves before he got the second beating of the day.

"W-w-wait! Don't hurt me!" The evil genius' arms shook trying to cover himself from any incoming kicks while he shouted in fear-white fur transitioning back to skin of almost the same shade. Clay woke up startled by both the sudden change in temperature and the feminine shriek that escaped Jack's lips. It was then that Kimiko gasped in surprise, seeing the bear quickly become their enemy in the near nude.

"Oh- _MYGOD_!" Kimiko's hands nearly slapped back against her eyes in an attempt to block out the view while her cheeks burned red. Omi and Raimundo were less shocked-more focused on their friend who was rubbing his neck after he'd slid back against the rocky wall. Omi ran to Clay's side, handing over the strayed ten gallon hat to a very confused cowboy.

"Clay! Are you alright? Did the shy dog, Jack do anything to you?"

"Sly fox, Omi. _Sheesh_." The Brazilian helped Clay to his feet as Omi looked him up and down in search of any injuries.

"I'm alright, Omi. This hog-killing weather's got me 'n Jack shakin' up a storm-" His words stopped when he remembered Jack and the bear, then the nudity. In all this fuzz, he wondered if Jack was fine. He walked past his friends without another word, leaving Omi and Raimundo mildly confused as they kept their eyes on his movements. They exchanged confused glances when the Texan removed his coat, draped it over Jack's shaking shoulders, and picked up the almost unconscious Heylin bridal-style. "We gotta get Jack out of the cold pronto."

No further questions asked, the Xiaolin monks and Jack escaped the frozen cavern on Dojo's back. The blizzard greeted their faces, snow feeling sharp against their cheeks and noses. Dojo silently cursed Dashi for choosing such a place to hide the Polar Paws.

In Clay's arms rested a still-shivering albino, eyes shut and teeth clicking, sending flips to the Texan's stomach as worry and pity returned with great force. He checked twice to see that Jack's whole body was wrapped in his massive coat, placing pale feet back into the warmth when they slid out from the ride home.

To ensure he would remain warm, Clay hugged him close and placed his hat next to Jack's face so that no snow would land on it. The ride home felt eternal with all that had happened within the last couple of hours.

* * *

"So what you are saying is that Jack Spicer helped you?" Upon hearing his name, Jack groaned. Omi raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. Jack's feet were ankle deep in warm water and Kimiko and Clay gently rubbed his body with hot, damp towels.

"Sounds about right, partner. If it hadn't been for Jack, I'd have been buzzard bait." Another groan escaped Jack's throat as he felt a blush creep onto his cheeks from all the attention. He refused to speak until the monks were at a distance and he squeaked, feeling sudden heat on his lower back. "Op! Sorry about that. Reckon I should have warned ya'." Clay's warm smile didn't move Jack considering he was still half-naked. Pale fingers tugged at boxers a size too big for his thin frame in hopes that they wouldn't slide down in front of the monks. Being caught nude once was enough for his liking.

"Doesn't sound very evil of you to save Clay like that." Kimiko teased as she placed another hot towel against Jack's shoulder, causing him to squeak again. Red eyes shot a glare back over the same shoulder, seeing a wide smile on the asian's face.

"Yeah! With bear hugs, too! How cute!" Jack's face began to overheat hearing Raimundo tease with his baby-talking tone followed by laughter. Omi just smiled, looking back and forth between Kimiko and Raimundo caught in a fit of chuckles.

"Hey, don't worry Jack. They're just pullin' your leg." A large hand felt heavy against his back as Clay gave him a pat. Jack looked back over his left shoulder only to see a warm, friendly smile. The thankful cowboy tipped his hat before placing his towel into a bucket of warm water and walking back into the temple.

Sudden kindness always left Jack unsettled-being so used to everyone shoving him aside. Even Wuya had left him again for Chase two days prior, but he paid no mind to it as his eyes followed Clay. His stance and strut emitted confidence-even in the worst of times. Seeing him now-and back when they had crashed-so relaxed and in no hurry brought a bit of peace to the goth's mind.

"Is Jack feeling better now?" Omi's head blocked Jack's view of Clay out of the blue, and with the short monk invading his space, Jack realized he had to get out of there soon. He had no time to waste, especially now that he found himself jet-less and with less Wu than the Xiaolins. The Polar Paws were his first success in the last two weeks, and he sure missed the Monkey Staff.

"You ever heard of personal space? _No_? Let me help you with that." Jack shoved Omi out of the way, standing and reaching into the pile of his coat, heli-pack, and goggles in search of the Polar Paws. He slid them on and Kimiko tried to grab them, but was too late as Jack transformed into a Polar bear in front of the monks.

"It's just a fluffy bear, you guys. What's it gonna-OOF!" The air was knocked out of Raimundo as a large, white paw swiped his left side.

"Rai!" Kimiko's mouth widened as she was confronted by the mass that was once Jack. The roar that Bear Jack managed to pull caused her to flinch, and even Omi was frightened by the loud noise. Seeing both monks struggling to pull through gave Jack time and he swiftly picked his possessions with his mouth, teeth scraping against the heli-pack and goggles.

"What's all that rustling?" Blue eyes widened when they saw Raimundo clenching his side, blood slowly revealing itself as a darker shade of red on the monk's robe. "Rai! You alright?! What happened?!" He got on his knees to assist his comrade, waiting for a reply.

"It was Jack-a bear-Bear Jack." Tan hands gently parted from the small wound, and Clay was glad it wasn't too deep. He looked for the Heylin responsible for this, but he'd been long gone. "That no-good piece of-agh! I'm gonna kick his sorry ass so hard he won't be able to sit for weeks!"

" _Easy now_ , Rai. We gotta treat y'first, then you can go kick that rough-as-a-cob Spicer 'till dawn." Clay felt guilty and angry, but also disappointed. He'd let his best friend be hurt by Jack-who'd only shown compassion to him once since they had met. It was clear why he didn't trust the self-proclaimed evil genius, but he still knew the redhead had a softer side. They all knew this. It would always end up with Jack's evil ways getting the best of him-yet this time, it caught the cowboy completely by surprise.

* * *

Ughhhhh I swear, I need to work on my writing. This chapter seems a bit..off. Feedback appreciated!


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